“If you’ve got an unconventionals focused geologist in your company, go talk to them, you might be surprised at the learnings applicable to conventional hydrocarbon accumulations”. That was the takeaway from Avon McIntyre’s WA Branch May luncheon talk - “Bursting Source Rock and Strange Hydrocarbon Occurrences Around the World”. The presentation challenged attendees' thoughts on maturation, migration and charge-timing (all may be later than we think) through analysis of unconventional geology. Photos of explosively delaminated source rocks and abandoned gilsonite mines complimented an excellent talk. Many thanks to Spectrum, Searcher and DownUnder Geophysical for sponsoring the event.
Industry
Future plans in WA to lower costs without compromising service
Lower revenue, lower costs and maintaining strong safety, reliability and service performance are thenfocus of proposed future plans announced recently for Western Australia's Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline (DBNGP) and its customers out to the year 2025. The pipeline - part of the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) - is the backbone of the WA economy, linking the gas fields in the State's north-west directly to mining, industrial, and commercial customers. AGIG's Chief Customer Officer, Andrew Staniford, said the Draft Plan released outlines DBNGPmactivities and expenditure proposed to be undertaken from 2021 through to 2025.
APPEA welcomes Australian wholesale gas prices that are below Asian average
Australia’s average gas prices are amongst the lowest in Asia, according to the latest international survey of wholesale gas prices. The 2019 International Gas Union’s Wholesale Gas Price Survey shows the average wholesale gas price in Australia last year ($US4.54/MMBTU) was about 40 per cent less than the average wholesale price for the Asia‑Pacific region. The Australian price was also around one-third less than the average wholesale price in Asia. Australia’s leading trade partners Japan, South Korea and China all paid average wholesale gas prices over $US8 and in some cases approaching $US12/MMBTU.
APPEA applauds NT Budget for ‘vital role of gas investment’
The Association of Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) has responded to the recently released Northern Territory Budget, saying the blueprint ‘highlighted the key role the oil and gas industry will play in the long-term growth of the Territory’s economy’. ‘Treasurer Nicole Manison recommitted to the Government’s Gas Strategy which outlines a five-point plan to develop the NT’s substantial offshore and onshore gas resources to create new jobs and opportunities for downstream gas-based manufacturing,’ APPEA said in a statement.
UK Regulator Authorizes Deployment of Sercel’s QuietSea Marine Mammal Monitoring System
Sercel has announced that ‘successful deployment’ of its QuietSeaTM Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) system has been extended to the UK, following approval by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) of its use for a seismic survey operated by CGG in waters off the Shetland Islands. QuietSea is a fully integrated PAM system that Sercel claims ‘overcomes many of the limitations of its present-day competitors. The sensors are designed to fully integrate with seismic acquisition or navigation systems, and are incorporated with the hydrophones in the Sentinel streamer.
CGG’s Dan Hampson and Brian Russell Honoured at the GSH-SEG Spring Symposium
Dan Hampson and Brian Russell from GeoSoftware, part of CGG’s Geoscience Division were honoured for their groundbreaking achievements in geophysics by the Geophysical Society of Houston and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists at their jointly sponsored 2019 GSH-SEG Spring Symposium and Exhibition in Houston. The theme of this year’s GSH-SEG Symposium, held from 16-17 April in Houston, USA, was ‘The Resurgence of Seismic Inversion’. Brian Russell spoke at the event about the ‘History of Inversion’ while Jon Downton, Senior Research Advisor for CGG GeoSoftware, gave a technical talk on the latest innovations in ‘Machine Learning Inversion’.
QLD gas delivers for local jobs
South-west Queensland natural gas from Senex Energy’s Project Atlas will fuel more than 200 Queensland manufacturing jobs in a national first. Mines and Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham congratulated gas producer Senex on sealing the first supply contract from Project Atlas with south-east Queensland manufacturer CSR Limited. In an Australian first, Project Atlas in the Surat Basin is delivering Queensland gas quarantined for sale to the Australian market only. Senex expects first gas production later this year.
Anadarko deal ups Chevron’s US oil production to 1.6 mmboed in 2019
Following the recent news that Chevron Corp (Chevron) will acquire Anadarko Petroleum Corp (Anadarko) for US$33 billion, the oil and gas major has significantly increased its oil production output in the United States. Jonathan Markham, Upstream Oil & Gas Analyst at GlobalData, said of the deal “The acquisition is a continuation of Chevron’s recent focus on upstream operations in the US. The combined portfolios of Chevron and Anadarko will make Chevron the leading producer in the US, with forecast production of over 1.6 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (mmboed) in 2019, according to GlobalData.
Budget highlights oil and gas as major economic pillar
The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) says the Federal Budget has reaffirmed the vital and significant contribution liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports play in sustaining Australia’s economic growth. “The government has recognised the critical role Australia’s oil and gas industry plays in supporting our economy through providing energy security and exports,” said APPEA Chief Executive Andrew McConville. This follows the recent release of the March Resources and Energy Quarterly, which found in 2018-19, Australia’s LNG export earnings are forecast to reach $50 billion, an $18 billion increase over the previous year -- the largest increase of any commodity.
North America expected to add 265 mtpa of LNG liquefaction capacity in 2023
North America will be the major contributor to the growth of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction capacity between 2019 and 2023, accounting for around 72% of the total global capacity from planned and announced projects, according to data and analytics company, GlobalData. The company’s report: ‘H1 2019 Global Capacity and Capital Expenditure Outlook for LNG Liquefaction Terminals -- US Continues to Dominate Global Liquefaction Market with Staggering Capacity Additions' reveals that around 366 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG liquefaction capacity is expected to be added during the outlook period (2019–2023), from planned and announced projects globally.